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Head coach
Neal Stafford unveils his 2023-24 Missouri State men's golf squad Sunday (Sept. 10) in Colorado Springs, Colo. at the United States Air Force Academy. The Bears open their season as one of 24 teams to tee it up for three days at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, hosted by Air Force at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Course on the USAF Base.
MSU begins play at 9:20 a.m. Mountain time Sunday with freshman
Max Bowman getting the season underway, followed by sophomore
Christian Rischer, and seniors
Eric Schuessler,
Max Kreikemeier and
Hampus Wijkstrom all teeing off ten minutes apart.
Stafford is looking to some new faces added to a pair of seasoned veterans to return his team to the role of Missouri Valley Conference contenders after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Three seniors top the lineup with the return of three-time all-conference performer Kreikemeier, back for his final season along with Schuessler, a reliable regular in the lineup the past couple of seasons. Wjikstrom is a transfer from Augusta who led the team in preseason qualifying, while Rischer looks poised to claim a spot in the lineup after part-time duty a year ago. Bowman, a hometown product from Springfield Glendale, is making his first collegiate appearance after a decorated high school career.
"I'm as excited about this season and this team as any I've had at Missouri State," said Stafford. "Max (Kreikemeier) has had as good a career as any Bear to this point and Hampus is going to fit in right alongside him at the top of the lineup. Eric's been a really good player for us over the years, and Christian and
Max Bowman, along with the guys who didn't make this trip, are going to give us some really quality players up and down the lineup. It's going to be a good year and get us back where we're supposed to be."
The Eisenhower Course is a renowned venue that has hosted numerous prestigious events over the years, including the U.S. Junior Girls this summer. It's playing to a stout 7,541 yards and a par of 72 at altitude for the tournament, which is being contested over three days and will wrap up Tuesday.
The Miranda is the first of three consecutive tournaments to open the season for the Bears as they'll be off to Jackson, Tenn. for a tournament hosted by UT-Martin next week and their annual trip to the Derek Dolenc Invitational in suburban St. Louis the following week.
